The Way You Make Me Feel
by wildfire280
Summary: Just a few Samcedes one-shots inspired by the music of Michael Jackson
1. My Lonely Days Are Gone

**This is probably not the scene anyone else imagines when they think of "The Way You Make Me Feel" but for some reason, this is what I thought up. Hope you enjoy it! It's my first song fic. Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson or Glee **

Sam waited anxiously on the landing of the Jones' staircase in their home. He had long since stopped attempting to watch television with Mercedes' brother who was finally visiting from college. Now that he had Mercedes back, he couldn't stand to be away from her for long. Being one state away was bad enough. Now she was a single flight of stairs away, getting dressed for their performance at Regionals.

When he heard her footsteps approaching, he couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. Mercedes grinned down at him from the top of the stairs. The hallway was dark, and he could barely make out the playful quirk of her lips. "Thought you said you'd be watching the game with Jay."

"I thought you said you'd be ready in fifteen minutes." He dragged his gaze away from her figure long enough to hold up his cellphone and wave it in the air. "It's been thirty."

"Don't worry. The time spent wasn't wasted." She started her way down the stairs, one hand delicately resting on the railing.

_**Hey pretty baby with the high heels on**_

_**You give me fever like I've never, ever known**_

Sam licked his suddenly dry lips. God, he missed his girl's body. She wore the dress Kurt had designed for The Troubletones portion of the performance, a white mini with ruched sides that left her right shoulder and arm completely bare. He slowly moved his hungry gaze down her beautiful legs and to the four-inch silver heels adorning her feet.

As soon as she stepped down in front of him on the landing, he placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her to him. Mercedes chuckled as he kissed her neck and jawline. "Yeah, I thought you'd agree."

_**You're just a product of loveliness**_

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you two." Mercedes and Sam separated sheepishly as her mother came walking toward them from the kitchen. She handed Mercedes her coat and purse with a wink. "It's good to see you back in this house, Samuel, but if Mr. Jones sees you two necking like that, he just might kill you."

Sam laughed. "Won't happen again, ma'am." He helped Mercedes shrug on her coat.

The older woman joined in his laughter. "At least don't let it happen where you can be seen."

"Mom!"

"Mercy child, I remember what it's like to be in love at that age. Can't keep your hands off each other." Dutifully ignoring her daughter's horrified expression, Mrs. Jones crossed her arms against her chest and changed the subject. "What time should we be at the competition? Seven or eight? You said you'd find out the time it starts for us."

Sam answered for Mercedes. "Pretty sure Mr. Schue said the doors will open at seven-thirty. That would probably be a good time to get there."

"If not a little earlier," Mercedes agreed.

_**I like the groove of your walk, your talk, your dress**_

_**I feel your fever from miles around**_

_**I'll pick you up in my car**_

_**And we'll paint the town**_

"We'll see you two there." Mrs. Jones pecked Mercedes on the cheek and gave her a quick hug.  
>"Good luck, baby! I know you'll be great." She patted Sam's arm. "Drive safely. It looks like it's getting icy out there."<p>

"With such a precious passenger?" Sam kissed the top of Mercedes' head as she went to open the door. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Mercedes waited until her mother had closed the door behind them and they were carefully walking down her driveway toward Sam's truck to give him a gentle nudge with her elbow. "She loves you."

"She's always loved me. Does she love me more than she loved Shane? 'Cause I seem to remember you saying that your family was quite enamored."

Enamored? Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Boy, please. I thought we said we'd let the past be the past and just focus on enjoying the fact that we're together again. No more bringing up Shane."

Shane was the past. Those miserable months in Kentucky and weeks at McKinley High of not being able to hold her or kiss her were the past. Sam stopped walking and grasped her hand in his, raising it to his lips. "Alrighty. But we'll just assume that your family does love me more than they loved Shane. And you know what _I_ love more than anything right now?"

One of her eyebrows rose and she smirked, remembering the way his eyes had raked over her body earlier and knowing exactly where he was going to go with the conversation. "What _do_ you love more than anything right now, Sammy?"

"You in that dress. Babe, remind me to thank Kurt for designing it."

"Ha! Will do."

He tugged on her arm when she started to walk away. The driveway was so slick with ice that Mercedes just slid back into his embrace. "Do you know what I would love more than anything after Regionals is over?"

"Don't you say what I think you're about to say, Sam Evans! We are already late and we…"

"You _out_ of that dress."

She snorted and threw up her hands. "That's what I thought. I am getting in the truck!"

_**Just kiss me baby **_

_**And tell me twice**_

_**That you're the one for me**_

Sam followed Mercedes to his truck, quickly unlocking and opening the door for her. She placed her hand in his and smiled gratefully as he helped her get in. Once she was situated in the passenger seat, she tapped him on the nose teasingly. "Thank you for not copping a feel right then. I just knew you were a gentleman."

"Was there ever any doubt?" He winked and closed her door firmly, then turned to jog to get in behind the wheel. "So how late are we?"

"You know Mr. Schue wants us there at least thirty minutes before we start warming up. We might be able to make it just in time for the warm-ups."

"So we're technically not late."

"Technically no but…" Her head was pressed back against her seat as Sam kissed her. When he drew back, her expression was a mixture of confusion and amusement. "And what was that for?"

He just shrugged, buckling his seatbelt and turning the key in the ignition. "No reason. It just feels so good to be yours again."

Mercedes smiled. Her hand found his.

_**The way you make me feel**_

_**You really turn me on**_

_**You knock me off of my feet **_

_**My lonely days are gone**_


	2. There's A Magic That Must Be Love

"…And of course Mercedes and Sam would sing _Black or White_!"

Tina covered her eyes with a hand. "Oh. Rachel. No."

Sam and Mercedes both raised their heads sharply from whispering to each other. Mercedes turned toward him in her chair at the lunch table. "Did she just say what I think she just said?" He just nodded, giving Rachel a look that Puck amusedly noted was identical to Mercedes' I'm-Judging-You face. Mercedes pursed her lips sassily. "Berry, when we sang Christmas carols at the homeless shelter, did I suggest that you start singin' _I Have a Little Dreidel_ because you're Jewish?"

Rachel glanced at Finn who was staring down at his tray of food like a deer caught in headlights. "Well…I…it just seemed like that song would be relevant to your…" Her voice started to falter as several members of the glee club began shaking their heads. "…relationship?"

Sam smirked. "You want something relevant? We should sing _Rock With You_."

Mercedes had started to nod at his suggestion but paused, thinking through the words of the song. She felt her face gradually get warmer and warmer. "…Sam!"

Santana leaned forward in her seat across from the couple, suddenly interested. "Really? That song is relevant to you two? Which part? 'There's a magic that must be love'? That seems cheesy enough for you, Evans." Beside her, Britney chuckled.

Sam also leaned forward; crossing his arms on top of the table. "More like 'let that rhythm get into you', 'you got to feel that heat', and 'just take it slow'."

Puck whistled his appreciation, and Mike grinned. Mercedes buried her face in her hands. "Oh God, Sam, shut up. _Please_ shut up."

Santana laughed at her friend's obvious embarrassment. "Oh no, please keep talking. I wanna hear all about this."

Sam raised an arm to rest it across his mortified girlfriend's shoulders and began to sing softly.

_**Girl, close your eyes**_

_**Let that rhythm get into you**_

_**Don't try to fight it**_

_**There ain't nothin' that you can do**_

Mike kissed Tina on the cheek and joined in.

_**Relax your mind **_

_**Lay back and groove with mine**_

Puck winked at Quinn. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but grin as he sang the end of the verse.

_**You got to feel that heat**_

_**And we can ride the boogie**_

_**Share that beat of love**_

Mercedes lowered her hands from her face and grasped Sam's arms. Her voice was a pleading whisper. "Baby, you weren't here to see it or suffer through it but the last time we sang in this cafeteria, people tried to kill us with food. Please don't…"

Sam stood, facing her. Puck and Mike followed his lead.

_**I wanna rock with you all night**_

_**Dance you into day, sunlight**_

_**I wanna rock with you all night**_

_**We're gonna rock the night away**_

Mercedes glowered at Santana. The other girl shrugged, still laughing. "_Lo siento_, girl. I didn't know Sam had game now."

Sam fist-bumped Mike and then Puck and sat back down, figuring he had embarrassed his girl enough for one lunch period. "Why thank you, Santana."

Mercedes gave a sigh of relief. "And thank _you_ for not continuing."

"Oh don't worry, babe." She raised an eyebrow and turned to him. His arm took its place again across her shoulders, and he gave her a squeeze. "You'll hear the rest of the song in glee club next period."


	3. Because She's Mine

_**Every night she walks right in my dreams **_

_**Since I met her from the start**_

_**I'm so proud I am the only one**_

_**Who is special in her heart**_

Sam ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair and leaned back against the lockers with a groan. "I just love her so much, you know? And I trust her but…"

Mike paused from reaching into his locker to grab his text book for AP Calculus. "Whoa. Why is there a 'but' in that sentence? You do trust Mercedes, right?"

"Yes! Absolutely, yes! It's _him_ I don't trust." Sam groaned again as the subjects of their conversation just happened to turn the corner into the hallway and pointed, not even trying to be discreet.

They watched Shane follow Mercedes to her locker further down the hall. Mike scratched his head in confusion, looking from Sam to the two other students. "Well…they don't seem to be talking about anything too serious. And _you_ are taking the fact that he's talking to her way better than I expected."

Sam nodded, his eyes narrowing as Shane offered to help Mercedes carry the books she was taking out of her locker. "He told her he wants to be her friend, and she made me promise not to freak out now that they're talking again. But look at him! He _clearly_ has ulterior motives!"

_**The girl is mine**_

_**The doggone girl is mine**_

_**I know she's mine**_

_**Because the doggone girl is mine**_

Mike looked back at the two and shrugged. "Yeah, I'm not seeing ulterior motives, man. Unless you want them to be friends who just frown at each other all the time, smiling is pretty innocent."

"Not _his_ smiles."

"If Shane talking to your girlfriend makes you this paranoid, you should tell Mercedes. I'm sure she'd understand."

Sam shook his head after a moment of debating the idea. "Not sure if she would. Even if she never loved him like she loves me, Mercy always considered him a friend. And you know how she hates burning bridges."

Rachel, Finn, and Kurt passed by; Kurt and Rachel were talking excitedly about some musical that was finally coming to Lima. Mike sighed. "Oh Kurtcedes, nothing but a beautiful memory now."

"Exactly."

_**I don't understand the way you think**_

_**Saying that she's yours not mine**_

_**Sending roses and your silly dreams**_

_**Really just a waste of time**_

Mike closed his locker and patted Sam's arm reassuringly. "Give them a chance to be friends then. If he steps out of line, you do something about it."

Sam nodded slowly, leaning forward to glance at Shane and Mercedes again, and he immediately took an angry step forward. "Where the hell did the flowers come from?"

Mike's eyebrows furrowed and he turned to see what had his friend so riled up. Mercedes was now holding two pink roses; he couldn't quite make out what she was saying but it seemed like she was as confused as they were about why she was receiving them. He didn't even try to hold back Sam as he jogged over.

_**Because she's mine**_

_**The doggone girl is mine**_

_**Don't waste your time**_

_**Because the doggone girl is mine**_

Mercedes stroked one of the pink petals with a perfectly manicured fingernail. "They're beautiful, Shane. I just…"

"Mercy. Shane."

She looked up and smiled, grateful to be saved from what could have become an awkward conversation. "Sam! Hi. Aren't these pretty?"

He barely looked at the flowers; his eyes were regarding Shane suspiciously. The other boy didn't look too excited to see him either. Finally though, Shane cleared his throat and explained, "Mercedes and I sang a duet at church last Sunday. I just wanted to give her something because of how great she did and because she agreed to sing with me at all."

"…Flowers though?" Sam didn't even turn at the feeling of Mercedes pinching his arm.

Shane moved his gaze to Mercedes once again. "Pink flowers mean gratitude." The bell rang loudly and he gave her a small smile. "I've gotta go. Bye, 'Cedes." He nodded in Sam's direction without actually taking his eyes off of Mercedes and walked away.

Sam turned to face her, exasperation written all over his face. "He looked up the meaning of different rose colors? Who _does_ that?"

She opened her locker again and carefully placed the roses where they would not get crushed. "It sounds a lot like something _you_ would do, Sammy. We really should be happy that he cared enough about our feelings to research the meanings at all."

_**I love you more than he**_

_**(Take you anywhere)**_

_**But I love you endlessly**_

_**(Loving we will share)**_

_**So come and go with me to one town**_

Sam looked back down at Mercedes' face after watching Shane go up to the second floor of the high school with narrowed eyes and frowned at her knowing smile. "…What?"

"I _would_ consider telling Shane that this friend thing won't work if you're feeling threatened."

"Oh you'd consider doing that, huh?" He pressed her back against the lockers with his hands on either side of her waist.

She shrugged and raised her arms so that they were around his neck, nodding. "I would. Things are just getting back to normal and we don't need any bad feelings."

"Well, I'm not feeling threatened. Where's the threat? I can't even see a threat." She raised a brow at his sudden nonchalance. He tilted his head to the side. "Do _you_ think he's up to no good?"

Mercedes rested her head on his chest and shook her head firmly. "I think Shane is trying to be my friend and nothing else. I also think that it wouldn't matter if he was up to no good."

"It wouldn't?"

"Nope. It wouldn't matter at all." Her eyes met his, a smile clearly in them. "You see, I _know_ that I'm taken."

"Yeah you are." His lips met hers eagerly.

_**I don't build your hopes to be let down**_

'_**Cause I really feel it's time**_

_**I know she'll tell you I'm the one for her**_

'_**Cause she said I blow her mind**_


	4. Got To Be There In The Morning

**Author's Note: Based on "Got to Be There" as performed by the Jackson 5 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own that song but it's so freakin' cute I wish I did.**

_**Got to be there**_

_**Got to be there, in the morning**_

_**When she says, 'Hello', to the world**_

_**Got to be there**_

Mercedes gradually opened her eyes, groaning at the sunlight that was streaming into the large window in her room. A corner of her lips tilted upwards as she remembered the night before. Her date with Sam had ended with the two of them taking advantage of the fact that her parents were staying overnight in downtown Columbus by cuddling on her bed while watching five episodes of Doctor Who on the 42" flat screen in her room. Her forehead wrinkled. Speaking of those five episodes of Doctor Who, she couldn't remember how that last episode ended. And speaking of Sam, she couldn't remember him…leaving…

"You always wake up with a frown, babe?"

"Sam!" Eyes wide, she sat up with her back against the headboard and stared down at him lying on his stomach beside her.

Sam propped himself on his elbows, tilting his face to smile at her. "Mercedes! Good morning. Sleep well?"

"I…how are you still here?"

_**Got to be there, bring her good times**_

_**And show her that she's my girl**_

He gave a little shrug. "You fell asleep. Then I fell asleep. And now we're awake." Sam flipped so he was lying on his back and raised his arms behind his head. "We should make pancakes together. That'd be fun."

Pancakes. Here she was, waking up with Sam Evans beside her in bed, her breath probably stinking from hours of sleep, and all this boy could think of was pancakes. She leaned as far as possible away from him when he moved toward her for a kiss. "Oh no, boy, I have _got_ to brush my teeth first."

Sam chuckled lowly and maneuvered himself so that he was straddling her. She immediately clapped a hand firmly over her mouth. He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. "You know, one day, I plan to marry you. And every morning, I'll be expecting a kiss."

_**Oh, what a feeling there'll be **_

_**The moment I know she loves me **_

'_**Cause when I look in her eyes **_

_**I realize, I need her sharing the world beside me**_

Her voice muffled by her hand and her cheeks feeling as though they were on fire, Mercedes muttered, "That's gross, Sam."

He deepened his voice into a Barry White impersonation. "Nah baby, that's love." After just glaring at him for a brief moment, the hand dropped, and he gave her a soft peck.

Mercedes tried to continue glaring but failed miserably, a shy smile spreading across her lips. "Can I go freshen up now, Mr. Evans?"

"Oh feel free, Miss Jones." Careful not to put his full weight on her, Sam moved off from on top of her and stood. "Think the hall bathroom has any Scope or Listerine I can borrow?"

_**So I've got to be there**_

_**Got to be there in the morning**_

_**And welcome her into my world**_

_**And show her that she's my girl**_

She nodded, opening the door of her walk-in closet and flicking on the light switch. "There should be both. Make sure you use a paper cup for the mouthwash and don't put your mouth on the bottle. Sam, I can't believe you stayed the night. My parents would kill me if they found out. They already don't trust us after…"

"Don't remind me, Mercy. I'm trying to be a good boy this morning," he called out as he left her room and went to the hall bathroom that was located closer to the Jones' master bedroom. Mercedes rolled her eyes and, after some quick deliberating, grabbed the outfit she was going to wear for the day.

Meanwhile, Sam crumpled up the paper cup he had used and tossed it into the trash can by the toilet, swishing the Scope vigorously around in his mouth. It was funny how Mercedes believed she was so easy to leave. When he had glanced down at her the previous night and seen that she was fast asleep with her head on his shoulder, the last thing he wanted to do was leave.

_**When she says, 'Hello world'**_

_**I need her sharing the world beside me**_

"Alright, hurry up. I'm gonna take a quick shower." Mercedes came into the bathroom carrying her clothes in one hand and a purple flat-iron in the other. His eyebrows rose at the sight of a red lace bra peeking out in her stack of clothes. She chuckled as Sam started to gargle and reached for her toothbrush. "Look at us being all domestic."

He waited until she had started brushing to lean forward and spit out the mouthwash. Before she could slap his hand away, he took the bra out of the stack and held it up, pinched between two fingers. Sam leaned back against the counter with a grin. "How big are the chances that you would model this for me?"

Mercedes moved the toothbrush to one side of her mouth and quirked an eyebrow. "The chances are slim, Sam. Real, _real_ slim."

_**That's why I've got to be there**_

_**Got to be there when love begins **_

_**And that everywhere she goes**_

_**I've got to be there so she knows**_

_**That when she's with me, she's home**_

Sam reluctantly threw the bra back on the stack on the floor where she had placed it and walked to stand behind her, waiting until she had finished brushing and was straightening from rinsing her mouth out to wrap his arms around her waist. "You know, a guy could really get used to this."

"Get used to what? Watching my morning routine? 'Cause you're not watching what comes next. I am taking my shower _alone_."

He inwardly debated arguing with her about that but decided against it. "I can't _wait_ to watch your morning routine every morning."

Their eyes met in the mirror above the bathroom sink. After a moment of silence and just looking at each other's reflections, Mercedes smiled. "You know, I think I could get used to this too."


	5. Happy End At A Perfect Day

**Author's Note: Based on "I Found That Girl" and the thought of impossibly cute Samcedes and Quick double dates in the future.**

_**Mama, oh mama, I found that girl**_

_**Mama, oh mama, I found that girl**_

Puck sat down on one of the benches beside the McKinley High swimming pool and watched Sam heft himself out of the water to sit on the pool's edge. "I wish I could be as sure as you are, Evans. Looking at you and Hot Mama…"

"You've got _one_ more time to call my lady that before I beat your ass, Puckerman."

"Sorry, it's a habit! And I knew her way before you." Puck looked around the room they were in and frowned. "You know…I don't remember ever even seeing this room. When the hell did McKinley get a swimming pool?"

Sam rolled his eyes even though he honestly couldn't remember there being a swimming pool before that year. "Focus, will you? What were you saying about me and Mercy?"

"You guys just seem so sure of each other. All we have to do is take one look at you two lovebirds and it's obvious that you were meant for each other. Like soul mates or something."

Whoa. After a moment of shocked silence, Sam gave a low whistle that echoed throughout the room. "That was…really sappy."

Puck balled his hand into a fist and thumped it on his knee. "I know! It's like I've gone the way of Finnessa or something. All this time being a badass and now…man, I'm losing touch."

_**Mama, life for me now is a new sensation**_

_**Just like you, you said it would be with the right situation**_

Sam smiled. "So…Quinn?"

"You missed all the craziness that happened when Shelby…sorry…_Miss Corcoran_ came back. Quinn lost her mind. Literally. With all the stuff she was planning to get Beth back, I started getting worried about her, legit worried. And now she's back to normal and things are going back to normal and I'm starting to love her all over again."

"I had no idea you ever felt that way about her."

Puck shrugged. "Things changed after we gave up Beth. Changed or resolved, I don't know which one really. It was easier to just start ignoring each other."

The door to the swimming pool opened and Mercedes walked in after waving goodbye to someone in the hallway. She had stayed after school with Sugar to help the girl with her singing. It was a task that Shelby Corcoran had begun and asked Mercedes, as The Troubletones captain, to finish even though the group was technically no more. Her face brightened into that special smile that was reserved just for Sam and then became a teasing smirk when she noticed Puck. "What're you doing here?"

He shifted to lay down on the bench with an exaggerated sigh. "Getting advice."

"Advice about what?"

"Don't be nosy, girl."

_**Now love has a meaning and I have a goal**_

_**This feeling inside me now, make destiny a hundred years old**_

"Advice about _what_?" When Puck refused to answer, Mercedes began walking over to Sam, sticking out her full bottom lip in a very convincing pout. "What are you two talking about, baby?"

Oh right, like he could ever resist that face. "Quinn. Puck's in love."

"Dude!"

Sam laughed and motioned for Mercedes to sit beside him. Joining in his laughter, she started taking off her high-heel boots and rolling up the hems of her black skinny jeans. "Although I am a firm supporter of Quinndependence, I think I could get used to seeing you two together again."

Puck bit his lower lip and ran a hand over his mohawk. "Yeah?"

It was always funny to Sam how much Puck welcomed and respected Mercedes' opinions. At first when he moved to Kentucky, Sam couldn't help but see Puck as someone who could possibly replace him in Mercedes' heart. The two of them were close after all, and he remembered Puck confiding in him that Mercedes was one of his best friends. But the more he saw them together, the less concerned he was. There was definitely love there, but it was on a completely different level than the love that he and Mercedes shared.

_**Now I understand what it is to be a man**_

_**The way you explained to me that day**_

_**You said only the right girl can make me feel this way, you will**_

She lowered her feet into the lukewarm water of the swimming pool and wiggled her red-painted toes. Thank God for pedicures. "You better act right though, Puck. Quinn told me all the crap you did the last time around and so help me God, if you break my girl's heart…!"

Throwing up his hands as if to ward off an attack, Puck sat up on the bench once again. "I'm not gonna say anything to her until I'm sure that I can even be that guy for her."

"That guy?" Mercedes frowned quizzically.

"Yeah." He gestured toward Sam. "Like Sam is for you. _That_ guy."

Sam bumped shoulders with her, winking flirtatiously and reaching for her hand. "Puck said we're soul mates. Meant to be together. Do you agree?"

Their fingers intertwined. Mercedes suddenly wished they didn't have an audience so she could kiss her boy senseless and show him just how much she agreed. Forcing herself to respect the fact that Puck was watching and to remember that he would probably make some lewd remark, she simply nodded. "Yeah, that sounds just about right." He kissed her forehead, and she nuzzled into him with a content smile but not before grabbing a nearby towel to wipe his shoulder dry.

_**Mama, she's that beautiful dream that I dream each night**_

_**She's like a bird, on those wings of a flight**_

_**She's those words left when there's no more to say**_

_**She's more sunshine, happy end at a perfect day**_

"Well, I suddenly feel like the third wheel on a date." Puck stood and went to pick up his book bag where he had dropped it by the door. "You two coming to the movie with the rest of us tonight?"

Sam glanced down at the top of Mercedes' head. He had been hoping that they would be able to spend some time alone that night. Since New Directions' victory at Regionals, the glee club had been meeting up outside of school frequently enough to brainstorm ideas for their performance at Nationals. Not wanting to seem selfish and as though he just wanted to have her all to himself all the time, he kept silent and shrugged, leaving the decision to her.

Mercedes raised a hand and waved it in the air as though shooing away the idea. "I think I just want a quiet night with my man tonight."

"But it's that new thriller with…!"

"Sorry man, the lady has spoken." Sam couldn't stop grinning.

Puck chuckled. "Got it. I'll let the others know you couldn't make it. See you on Monday."

They both waved goodbye to him. Sam watched him disappear into the hallway and then dropped his gaze to Mercedes' and his feet dangling side by side under the water. "So what _are_ our plans tonight?"

_**All this lets me find, a reason to be alive**_

_**The day when you sat me upon your knees**_

_**You said only the right girl could be all these things**_

She sat up and lifted a hand to smooth his hair away from his eyes. "Oh I don't know. I'm down with anything. It's been a good day; I just want some time with you."

"Anything huh?"

"Both my parents will be home, Sam."

"Oh."

Mercedes tried not to burst out laughing at his look of utter disappointment. "Maybe we could go down to the basement and watch _Avatar_ while doing some intense cuddling. How does that sound?"

_**Mama, I think I found that girl, yeah**_

_**Mama, I think I found that girl**_

Sam stood and held out a hand to help her up. "That sounds perfect."


	6. We Were Not Too Young At All

__**Author's Note: **Based on "Too Young" as performed by an adorable young Michael Jackson, the AMAZING Samcedes kiss (or almost-kiss), and spoilers of an upcoming HummelberryJones sleepover. Thanks for reading! Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the song or Glee.

_**They try to tell us we're too young**_

_**Too young to really be in love**_

"Never thought we'd be doing this again."

Kurt leaned back against Mercedes' headboard and grinned when she crawled up to sit in the space beside him. He rested his head on top of hers, eyes closing from the warm familiarity of the position they were now in. "It's been too long."

"_Entirely_ too long." Rachel entered the room with a tray of hot cocoa that she had helped Mrs. Jones prepare downstairs in the kitchen. "We have so much to talk about!"

Mercedes leaned forward to grab a cup for her and Kurt when Rachel set the tray carefully on the night table beside the bed. One of her eyebrows rose at the sight of the simple diamond ring on Rachel's hand. It was going to take a while to wrap her mind around the idea of Finn and Rachel getting married. "I never got to tell you congratulations. When did you say yes?"

Rachel blushed and picked up her own cup of cocoa, cradling it against her chest while looking down at her engagement ring with wistful eyes. "The week of the Michael Jackson assignment. Really, it was more of a strong 'maybe' than a definite yes."

Kurt frowned. "As much as I can appreciate the sense of romantic tension that comes from a prolonged acceptance of a proposal…should you be wearing the ring if you haven't given Finn an answer yet?"

"Kind of leading him on, aren't you?" Mercedes' face immediately warmed at the knowing look they both gave her. She knew very well that everyone thought she was doing the exact same thing to Sam.

_**They say that love's a word**_

_**A word we've only heard**_

_**But can't begin to know the meaning of**_

Shrugging, Rachel sat down near their feet. "I don't want to rush into anything. This is marriage, after all. It seems like this year is going so fast…like all of a sudden life is going so fast. People don't get married when they're this young, do they?"

Mercedes smiled sadly at the doubt that was suddenly in Rachel's voice. "Some people do. It's not totally unheard of. And if you and Finn really love each other…"

"We do!"

"…Then I guess it makes sense to get married."

Kurt blew on the surface of his cocoa before taking a dainty sip. He shook his head incredulously. "I always thought these conversations would be happening five or ten years from now. We should be talking about what our outfits will look like for Nationals and what kind of shoes we'll be wearing with our graduation robes. While we're on that subject…."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow. "Focus."

"Right." Kurt beamed at Rachel. "I think you're insane. Actually, I think you _and_ Mercedes are insane."

The girls' jaws dropped. Mercedes twisted her body to face him. "Excuse me, Kurt Hummel?"

He leaned past her to set his cup down and then crossed his arms firmly against his chest. "You heard me, Mercedes Jones. You've been avoiding your feelings for Sam and setting yourself up for an epic Twlight-esque love triangle, while Rachel is rushing into marriage with a boy (and I say this with all the love in the world) who told me yesterday that he once prayed to a grilled cheese sandwich."

"That was last year!"

"I _know_ you did not just compare my life to Twilight!"

Kurt smirked, addressing each girl in turn. "Rachel, _this_ year Finn got you a pig for Christmas despite the fact that you gave him a list of appropriate gifts _and_ the fact that you are Jewish. Mercedes, you are playing the part of Bella perfectly with your inability to choose between Shane and Sam."

Rachel bit her lower lip. "Which one is Jacob and which one is Edward?"

"I haven't quite assigned them roles in my mind yet."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes and groaned. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Besides, I've already made my choice between Sam and Shane. I chose Shane."

"Oh is that why you saw Sam's face when we performed a love ballad for Mr. Schue?"

"Or why you two can't keep your eyes off each other?"

"Or why you kissed him?"

Kurt gasped. "You _what_?"

Mercedes groaned again, aiming a frustrated glare at Rachel. "You said you wouldn't say anything to anybody about that."

The other girl blinked and slowly lowered the hand she had clapped over her mouth. "It slipped out."

Kurt grabbed Mercedes' cup and almost tossed it onto the night table before catching himself and setting it down lightly. His eyes narrowed into slits. "Tell."

_**And yet we're not too young to know**_

_**This love will last though years may go**_

_"This was beautiful." Mercedes watched Sam set his guitar down on top of the closed grand piano and turned to stare again at the large light display on the auditorium stage. Her name. He had made it say her name. _

_Sam walked back over to stand beside her. "I thought maybe we could sing that song at Regionals. Rachel and Finn are good and all but lately when they sing competition duets we tend to…"_

_"Lose?" _

_Sam chuckled, nodding. "More like crash and burn."_

_Mercedes slowly turned to face him, eyebrows furrowing. "Why don't you and Quinn do something together again? Your voices sounded pretty good last year at Sectionals. Besides, I'm already singing lead with Santana on The Troubletones' number. Don't want the judges getting sick of my voice."_

_"There's no way anybody could get sick of your voice." He frowned down at the hesitant expression on her face. "C'mon, 'Cedes, you know we sound incredible together."_

_"It's not a good idea, Sam." Mercedes raised a hand to cut him off before he even spoke. "And you know why." She gave a small shrug and moved to walk off the stage. _

_Sam's hand reached out to grasp hers, and she stayed where she was. "Actually, I don't know why. I don't 'why' for a lot of things nowadays. And if you were with me like you're supposed to be, there wouldn't have to be a 'why' or a 'why not'."_

_"Maybe I'm supposed to be with Shane."_

_"There is no way in hell that you're supposed to be with Shane, Mercedes. You don't love him. And you never will."_

_She glared down at their hands but didn't pull away. "I'll never have the chance to if you keep doing this to me. Shane doesn't deserve this. He…he makes me happy."_

_Sam gave her a look that made Mercedes wonder just how much she had rubbed off on him that summer. "I've seen you happy. You're not happy." _

_"I'm trying to be," she whispered. _

_He tilted her chin up and took a step closer to her, dropping the volume of his voice to match hers. "With me, you don't have to try. I love you, Mercedes, and I know you love me. And whether you think you're supposed to be with me or not, I know I'm supposed to be with you." _

_"This isn't fair." _

_He couldn't stop a grin from spreading across his lips at the pitiful way she had said that. "What's not fair, beautiful girl?"_

_"You coming back. You saying these things."_

_"Why isn't that fair?"_

_"Because I know you're right and I'm wrong. And you know how much I hate being wrong."_

_Another step closer. "I know."_

_She could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest. "So what now? I just let this happen?" _

_Sam nodded, giving her hand a small squeeze. "Yeah." He leaned forward and tilted his head to the side, keeping his eyes open to see the way her eyes closed and her lips parted to accept his. _

_"Oh my God, this is so romantic."_

_Mercedes jerked away from Sam's mouth just before it made contact with her own; they both whirled around to look out into the rows of supposed-to-be-empty seats. Rachel sat in the third row with one hand holding onto the back of the chair in front of hers for dear life and the other held against her mouth. Sam rolled his eyes and took a step back. Mercedes took a deep breath. "Rachel Berry, what the hell…?"_

_**And then someday they may recall**_

_**We were not too young at all**_

"Rachel, what the _hell_?"

Rachel dodged out of the way of Kurt's swinging scarf. "I didn't mean to interrupt, Kurt. It was a very beautiful moment!"

Mercedes glanced absently at the large purple-framed clock that hung on the wall above her desk. Already midnight. "Anyway, that was it. Moment ruined. Nothing really happened."

"Except you almost kissed him."

"Yeah…except for that."

_**They try to tell us we're too young**_

_**Too young to really be in love**_

Mercedes suddenly flipped over to lie on her back, burying her face in one of the large pillows that had been propping her up. "You're right; I am insane. I'm crazy as hell."

Kurt rubbed her back soothingly. "You're going to break up with Shane, aren't you?"

"I have to. I'm in love with Sam. It's gonna break Shane's heart but I have to end it." She kicked her legs up and down on top of the bed in frustration. Rachel yelped and scooted over to get out of kicking distance. After a moment of silence and Rachel and Kurt sending each other knowing glances over her head, Mercedes turned back over. "I said it."

"Said what?" Rachel finally decided to crawl over to sit on the other side of Kurt, taking care not to spill her cocoa on Mercedes' expensive-looking comforter.

Mercedes leaned forward so she could see both of their faces, a smile slowly spreading across hers. "I'm in love with Sam. I finally said it."

"Took you long enough." Kurt laughed as Mercedes sent him a withering glance. "Just kidding, diva. Congratulations. Now let's talk about Blaine and I. How am I supposed to spend Valentine's Day without him? Maybe I should just not come to school and save myself the agony of seeing everyone else with their loved ones. I just know you two are going to be disgusting with Finn and Sam so you won't be any help."

Mercedes leaned over to grab her cup of cocoa, taking a long drink from it while Rachel began arguing with Kurt. Her smile didn't leave her face for the rest of the night.

_**And yet we're not too young to know**_

_**This love will last though years may go**_

_**And then someday they may recall**_

_**We were not too young at all**_


	7. Love As Welcome As A Sunny Day

**Author's Note: **Based on The Jackson 5's "With A Child's Heart" and lovely thoughts of a Samcedes reunion at Magic Mountain.

Puck glanced around The Lima Bean mischievously and then scooted forward toward the edge of his seat. "So what do we do now?"

The eight other seniors just blinked at him in response. Rachel cleared her throat and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Well Noah, I believe we've fulfilled the requirement for Senior Skip Day already by missing three periods of class to enjoy a refreshing beverage or two. We should probably be getting back before…"

Puck's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Wait. You're telling me that this is it? _This_ was the grand plan? What the hell, guys! We get one day when we're practically _expected_ to be juvenile delinquents and you want to have a few café lattes and go back to McKinley?"

Kurt straightened the already-perfectly-placed sailor cap on his head. "NYADA expects Rachel and me to be model students. We're already risking our acceptance by being here."

Sam shrugged, studiously avoiding looking at Mercedes from his seat directly across from her by focusing his attention on the strawberry smoothie in his hands. "Coach Roz will put my balls in a blender if I'm not at practice today. We're getting ready to compete soon."

Mercedes couldn't stop the tender, sympathetic smile that spread across her lips. Santana glanced at her and rolled her eyes. "Let's go to Magic Mountain."

Everyone turned to her. Finn frowned. "Isn't that place for kids?"

Brittany shook her head vehemently. "Santana and I go all the time!"

Finn began to comment on that but was interrupted by Santana. "It'll be fun! Yeah, there's kid rides but they have at least ten roller coasters." She tilted her head so it could rest on her girlfriend's shoulder, making eye contact with both Sam and Mercedes before adding, "And there's even a Tilt-A-Whirl."

Mercedes choked on her sip of caramel macchiato. Mike patted her back lightly until she could speak. "Anywhere else we could go?"

Sam nodded. "Really. _Anywhere_ else."

Puck pounded a fist on the table and downed the rest of his root beer. "I think it's a great idea, Lopez. Let's do it."

_**With a child's heart**_

_**Go face the worries of the day**_

_**With a child's heart**_

_**Turn each problem into play**_

_"Go straight to the carousel, you two. I mean it! Straight to it! And when you're done, call me and stay right there!" Sam kept his eyes trained on his siblings even as they disappeared into the carnival crowd. _

_Looking up from checking the time on her phone and seeing Sam crane his neck to maintain visual, Mercedes gave his shirt sleeve a gentle tug. "Calm down. They'll be right over there. Let them have some fun without us looming over them."_

_He reluctantly lowered his gaze to her face and then ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, Mercy. I want them to enjoy themselves but…"_

_"It's okay." She got on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. "You don't have to be Papa Sammy today. Today you're just their big brother and the four of us get to have some fun." _

_With one last glance in the direction of the carousel, Sam took her hand and started walking leisurely in the opposite direction. "So what do you wanna do?" _

_Mercedes looked around them, beaming at the sight of a little girl excitedly pulling her father along. "I actually have never been to anything like this before. My parents never really had time to take me to fairs or carnivals or amusement parks or…"_

_"I get it; I get it. You had a very sad childhood."_

_She reached over with her free hand and gave his bicep a pinch. "My childhood was a very happy one, thank you very much, Sam Evans!"_

_"So you want me to choose?"_

_"If you wouldn't mind." _

_"Don't mind at all." Sam kissed the top of her head. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind just walking like this all day, holding hands with the most beautiful girl at the carnival, letting everyone know you're mine."_

_Her cheeks grew warm; Mercedes tilted her face upwards to place a kiss lightly on his jawline. "Thank you." _

_He shrugged, carefully sidestepping some cotton candy that had been dropped on the ground. "Once school starts again, I'm shouting it in the hallways." _

_"Oh really?"_

_"Yes really. And why wouldn't I? Not everyone gets to be with the love of their life. We're part of the lucky few." _

_Mercedes' heart skipped a beat and for a moment she forgot how to breathe. When she spoke, her voice was more airy than even she had ever heard it. "Who says I'm the love of your life?"_

_Sam glanced down at her and then stopped walking. He turned her to face him. "I do. Because _

_you are. Mercedes Jones, you're it for me." _

_**No need to worry no need to fear**_

_**Just being alive makes it all so very clear**_

_**With a child's heart**_

_Sometimes she purposefully tried not to take her boyfriend of two months too seriously. After all, Sam Evans wasn't one to do anything halfway, least of all falling in love. She had heard the stories about him and Quinn. He'd thought that he was in love before. Mercedes lifted one of her purple-Converse-clad feet to kick at a rock by her feet. It scared her how in love she was. It scared her how sure she was about her love for him. _

_"Mercedes?" _

_She raised her gaze to meet his penetrating emerald one. "Sam?"_

_"I love you. And I know you. Right now you're really trying not to believe me. But I love you, okay? There's no doubt in my mind."_

_"I…" Get a grip, girl, she told herself. Tell him the truth. Let yourself tell him the truth. She took a step forward and forced herself to stare into his eyes. "I love you too."_

_The kiss Sam planted on her absolutely and definitively took her breath away. Their hands separated and found themselves on the other's body. Mercedes hooked her index fingers in his jean's belt loops and pulled him against her, while Sam allowed his hands to settle on either side of her face, caressing her cheeks and keeping her close. _

_"Hey you two, keep it PG, will ya? You're in front of a kid ride, you know."_

_They snapped back from each other; a disgruntled harrumph escaped from Mercedes as she and Sam turned their eyes toward the middle-aged man leaning against a ride's controls and smirking at them. _

_Sam tilted his head to the side and read the ride's name out loud. "Tilt-A-Whirl?" He looked down at Mercedes with an eyebrow raised._

_She grinned. "Oh why not? Let's do it." _

_**Love is as welcome**_

_**As a sunny, sunny day**_

_**No grown-up thoughts**_

_**To lead our hearts astray**_

"Dude, did you see what was on that map? Batman: The Ride!"

Santana groaned as the Sam, Finn, Mike, and Puck did some kind of intricate fist-bump, glancing toward Mercedes who sat on a bench beside Rachel and Kurt but not paying attention to anything the other two were saying. Instead, the girl's attention was focused completely on the phone conversation she was having. She looked back at Sam and then went into action, grasping a handful of his shirt and jerking him close. He stumbled in front of her for a moment before steadying himself and leveling her with a glare. "Santana, what the…? You gotta quit doing that!"

"Shut it, Trouty; I'm trying to do you a favor. See that girl over there?"

His gaze softened when he looked in the direction she was pointing and saw Mercedes. Sam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck exasperatedly. "What're you getting at?"

She held up her map of Magic Mountain and jabbed the Tilt-A-Whirl picture with her finger. "_This_ is what I'm getting at. Take her on this ride."

"Santana…" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's okay. We're okay. You don't have to try to get us together anymore. She made her decision, and I'm going to respect that decision."

"Look Evans, a girl doesn't sing a Whitney classic to a guy when she doesn't feel anything for that guy. Especially not the song she sang to you. Besides," she added, lowering her eyes. "Wheezy's been a good friend to me this year…I saw the look on her face when you walked out of the choir room and I watched her cry over you. I want her to be happy." Santana smirked and raised her gaze once more. "Even if all she wants is you."

"Gee thanks." Sam just stood watching Mercedes for a moment before pulling the map out of Santana's grasp and swatting her arm with it. "Fine. If I crash and burn, I'm blaming you."

"I'm okay with that."

He slowly approached Mercedes, nodding at Rachel and Kurt before standing directly in front of her. She gripped her cellphone tighter in her hand but continued talking. "I wish you were here too…He took you where?...There's that laugh I missed. Glad Artie could coax it out of you again...Yeah? Well good. You deserve a great day, girl. Um, Quinn…?" Her eyes hadn't left Sam's face since she had seen him walking toward her. "Yeah, I've gotta go. I'll come over later today. Absolutely. Love you too, Quinn. Bye." She closed her phone and slid it into her jacket pocket, very aware that Rachel and Kurt had stopped talking and were now staring between her and Sam with extreme interest.

Sam ran a hand quickly through his hair and then shoved his hands into his pockets. "Can we walk?"

Her head tilted to the right. "Yeah." She allowed him to pull her to her feet. "Yeah, Sam, we can walk."

_**Take life easy, so easy nice and easy**_

_**Like a child so gay and so carefree**_

_**The whole world smiles with you**_

"Quinn still out with Artie?"

Mercedes glanced up at Sam with a start. The sound of his voice was unexpected for some reason; they had been walking in silence for a couple minutes. Finally, she nodded. "Yeah, he took her to some kind of wheelchair skate park for the day. She sounds so much better…I've been really worried about her spirit." She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes for a brief moment.

Sam's arm went around her shoulders without hesitation, hugging her close to his side. "Hey, none of that. Quinn's gonna be just fine."

"I know that now. But I keep thinking about when we got the news of the accident…when we thought we'd lost her."

His heart stopped for a bit as she searched his face with an intense gaze and he felt his ears become red under her sudden scrutiny. "…What?"

Letting go of herself, Mercedes reached up and grasped the hand of the arm he had around her. "I never want to lose you, Sam. Ever. Even while I was praying for Quinn, praying that she would somehow be okay…I kept thinking what if something like that happened to my mom or my dad or my brother or _you_ and just the thought…"

He turned her face back toward him with two fingers under her chin. "If you don't want to lose me and you'll always love me, why aren't we together, Mercy? Why can't we just be together again?" She let out a distressed sigh, and he gave his head a firm shake. "You shouldn't be beating yourself up over our kiss. Yeah, we shouldn't have done it, and, yeah, I should have more sympathy for Tinsley since I was in his shoes twice last year. But you're keeping yourself from love, _my_ love, because of it, Mercedes darlin', and that's not right. You deserve to be happy."

Their conversation paused as they made their way up to the Tilt-A-Whirl; Sam saw Mercedes take in a shuddering breath as she took in the ride's sign, knowing that she was thinking back to that magical summer. Her voice was so soft that he had to lean toward her to hear her words. "You deserve to be happy too, Sammy."

A hopeful smile quirked his lips upwards. "I'm only gonna be happy with you, honey. You're it for me, remember?"

"I never forgot." She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You're it for me too."

Sam chuckled as she buried her face in his chest. "So what do you say to giving us another shot?"

Mercedes leaned back in his arms so they could make eye contact and reached up a hand to rest on the nape of his neck. "Let's do it."

Neither of them noticed their seven friends standing ten feet away from them, sharing knowing looks and smiles and all thinking the same thing.

Finally.

_**As you go your merry way**_

_**Oh with a child's heart **_

_**Nothing's gonna get me down**_


	8. We're Just Good Friends

**It's been a while since I've updated! **

**Based on the song "Just Good Friends". Sam and Mercedes spend some time together during the events of the "Funeral" episode and Sam admits that she's more than a friend. I don't own the song, _Glee,_ or _Community._**

_**Listen up**_

_**We've got a problem here**_

_**I can see the signs**_

_**I guess the lady is still makin' up her mind**_

_**Say we're just good friends**_

"Your song was fine."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at Sam and snatched the bowl of popcorn out of his hands. "Then why did Jesse St. Jerk say that I was lazy? Why did he say that I need practice and choreography? Why am I not going to get the solo for Nationals?"

Sam shrugged, scooting closer to the short diva on her couch under the pretense of grabbing yet another large handful of popcorn. "His nickname kind of says it all, doesn't it? And I was there, you know. I saw the whole thing. You were fantastic. You're always fantastic."

He had promised her that he would hang around after school to hear her audition, insisting to stay even when she had waved him off and said that she wouldn't have minded if he left. Sam had been waiting outside of the auditorium but as soon as he'd heard the opening bars of _Try a Little Tenderness_, one of his mother's favorite songs to play in the morning back in Tennessee, he snuck backstage to watch. A diva yet the best friend anyone could ask for, Mercedes Jones was a force to be reckoned with. It had taken Puck and Finn a while to convince him that she had never had a competition solo.

Her attention divided equally between nothing else but ranting her own anger and the bowl she now cradled in her arms, Mercedes didn't even notice the intense way her blonde companion was looking at her or the moment when he slung a carefree arm across her shoulders. "It's not much to ask for, is it, Sam? A little attention at a competition that doesn't begin and end with me wailing the last note? One solo? I mean, God knows if anyone deserves a competition solo it's Kurt or me. We've given everything to the glee club. We haven't stormed out once. We haven't sent anyone to a crack house…yet."

Sam raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Yet?"

She grinned. "Rachel's not exactly my favorite person right now. You never know what might happen in New York."

"C'mon Mercy, you're not that kind of diva. If anything the Night of Neglect taught all of us that. One day you'll be center stage. You're a star, girl."

Mercedes chuckled at the sound of Sam's Southern accent. It rarely made an appearance but when it did, she felt warm all over. She glanced over at him, eyes widening when she realized how close he had gotten. "…Hello?" Her gaze fixated on the arm around her until he slowly retracted it.

It was now or never. Sam grabbed the remote from the coffee table in front of the Jones' sofa and paused the episode of _Community_ they had been watching on DVR. He tossed it to land on the couch cushions beside him before turning to face her. "We need to talk."

Mercedes tilted her head to the side at his sudden seriousness. After Prom, Sam had taken to walking her to class, making sure to eat beside her or across from her whenever the glee club ate lunch together, and even sitting beside her every chance he could in class. It may not have meant anything but she had to admit it was nice having his attention. Guys like Sam Evans rarely looked for girls who were actually good for them, girls who could see beyond their looks and get to know who they were. Sure, she had given him a major side-eye when he'd confessed to having a comic book collection in Tennessee that had filled a bookcase but she was glad to know the side of him that few people at McKinley cared to find out.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him also and brought her legs up to cross comfortably underneath her body. Once she was all settled, Mercedes inclined her head slightly in a gesture that told him he could begin.

Great. Now that he had her attention, he had no clue what to say. Sam reddened. "Um…you're awesome." He closed his eyes. Idiot.

She blinked. "…Yes. Thank you." When he only continued to get redder, Mercedes reached out a hand to pat his knee. "Hey, Sam, it's just me. Say what you need to say, we'll end this awkward moment, and I'll order a pizza."

Awkward moment indeed. Sam caught her hand in his own as she started to pull it back, holding it lightly. "I just wanted to tell you…how much I've appreciated having you in my life these past months. Of all the people I've met here in Lima, you've been the one who's given my family and me the most. Babysitting Stacy and Stevie when Quinn can't make it, helping me with Lit class…ordering pizzas, you've just been amazing."

"We're friends, Sam." Mercedes smiled kindly, not really seeing where the conversation was going. "I'm gonna be there for you…me _and_ my pizzas."

"And I want you to be there. But I _don't_ want you to be my friend."

Mercedes' brows furrowed in confusion. "Well…damn." She lifted the popcorn bowl from her lap with her free hand and, resisting the urge to dump it all over the boy in front of her, calmly lowered it to the coffee table. "Sorry you feel that way. Get out of my house."

"Oh God no…that didn't come out right. What I'm trying to say is…"

"I'm not usually an aggressive person except when it comes to cars but it would still be in your best interests to let go of my hand."

Sam reluctantly released her hand. "I didn't mean it like that, Mercy. You're…"

"I'm what, Sam?" Her doe-like brown eyes were filled with a quiet rage. "I don't know why but I thought we had a good thing here. We were getting to know each other, you seem (oh, sorry, _seemed_) to be a really nice guy and I like hanging out with you. And now you're telling me that you don't want to be my friend. That's just fine, Sam Evans. I don't need to be someone's friend who's ashamed to walk down the hallway with me or talk to me or…"

Sam reached out to cup her face in his hands; Mercedes inhaled sharply as his lips met her own. Quinn's kisses had been teasing. Santana's kisses had been passionate but distracted as though she was always replacing him with someone else in her mind. Mercedes' fuller lips were moving slowly, not as though she was unsure but as though she was savoring the moment. He smiled against them briefly before leaning back from her, ending the kiss with a tender peck.

His smile returned at the sound of her shallow breaths and the sight of her half-lidded eyes. "First kiss?"

"Yeah." Her cheeks warmed, and she lowered her gaze to her lap timidly.

"Mind if I give you a second one?"

Mercedes' gaze snapped back up to his face, her eyes suddenly filled with a certain fire. "Oh yes, keep 'em coming."

_**Baby loves me**_

_**She love me**_

_**She love me **_

_**She loves me**_


	9. Do You Remember: Part 1

**Author's Note: **Based on "Remember the Time". This one will be continued (I'm thinking there will be another two or three more parts to it). Please send me reviews!

_**Do you remember when we fell in love?**_

_**We were young and innocent then**_

_**Do you remember how it all began?**_

_**It just seemed like Heaven**_

_**So why did it end?**_

**Manhattan, New York**

When Aria Evans' mother won her first Grammy, she wasn't even born yet. Her father was on his feet in the audience, one arm slung across her grandmother shoulders in an embrace, the other arm by his side with his hand clutching the small jewelry box deep within his D&G suit's pant pocket.

By the time she won her second Grammy, Aria was in the audience with her father, five-years-old and beaming with joy as her mother thanked God, the recording company, her manager, and then, last but not least, her family. She didn't remember much about that night, only the bubbly feeling she had felt afterwards watching her father kiss her mother tenderly as she held the award between her two small hands.

Now she was fifteen and watching her mother win her third Grammy. But she wasn't in the audience. She was at her father's apartment, lounging on the couch, snacking on butter popcorn. Aria grabbed the television remote and viewed the time that popped up as a part of the menu's display. Something was definitely wrong with this picture.

"I'm home!"

She didn't bother turning around to greet her father, instead choosing to turn up the volume on the awards show and adjust the pillow behind her head. "You're late."

He dropped his briefcase by the door and placed the paper bag he was carrying on the kitchen counter. "I brought Chinese. Thought you might like a break from my cooking. You're not eating, are you?" Aria held up the half-empty popcorn bag in response. "Well I hope you're still hungry. I got your favorites."

"Dad." Setting the bag on the nearby coffee table, she sat up on her knees to glare at him, arms folded on top of the back of the couch. "You're late."

Sam began pulling take-out cartons; he frowned at her in confusion. "Late…?" His gaze caught on the television. "Ah."

"Mom was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Album of the Year."

He resumed his task, turning his back to her to gather plates. "Yeah, I remember you saying something about…"

"She won Best Album." Aria stood and came to stand at the counter. "You missed it."

"I was working. Storyboards at the office and…" Sam handed her a plate. "I'm glad you got to see your mother win and I'm glad that she did win. It was a great album. She deserved the award."

"We should've been there to cheer her on. Just because you two can't stand each other…"

"Who said anything about us not being able stand each other?"

"…Doesn't mean that we can't still act like a family."

Sam sighed, glancing again at the television and running a hand through his blonde hair before resting both hands on the counter. "Aria, I only get a few months with you before you go to live with your mother in LA."

"I know but…"

"And when I asked you if you preferred to make the move earlier so you could attend the awards, what did you tell me?"

"I said that I wanted to wait and finish out the school year in Manhattan with you but Dad…!"

He shook his head. "No buts. You were given the chance. Now can you stop with the guilt trip and eat your lo mein?" Aria dumped a hefty pile of noodles onto her plate, grumbling under her breath as she walked back to the couch. Sam watched her grudgingly begin to eat for a moment before fixing his own plate.

The decision to get a divorce wasn't an easy one, nor was it one that either he or his ex-wife made lightly. Initially, they had ignored the distance growing between them, chalking it up to having two completely separate careers that were rapidly advancing. It was a good thing, they'd told themselves as they provided for their daughter and were increasingly recognized in their respective fields. Receiving a Grammy was nothing to sniff at; neither was signing a contract with DC Comics. These were their dreams coming true.

"Dad?"

His train of thought lost, Sam frowned at the melancholy in his daughter's voice. "What's up, Aria?"

"Do you miss her at all? Do you wish she were here sometimes?"

He grabbed his plate, silverware, and enough napkins to share, coming to sit by her side. "Yeah. Yeah, Aria, all the time." His hand ruffled her sandy, unruly curls in attempt to cheer her. "How can I not miss her? You were always more behaved when she was around."

Aria's green eyes, identical to his own, were suddenly fixed on the television screen. He followed her gaze, his heart skipping a beat instantaneously. The commercial break was over; some entertainment news reporter backstage doing interviews with recent award winners was ushering his ex-wife to sit on a sofa with her.

Mercedes Jones. A smile came across his face as he drank in the sight of her for the first time in months. Her hair framed her face in soft brown-highlighted curls; her voluptuous figure was only accentuated by the red Versace dress she wore. She always looked stunning in red. Mercedes gave a quick smile to the camera in the midst of answering the rapid-fire questions the interviewer was shooting at her about how she felt, was the award expected, when was her next album going to be out, and Sam felt his loss of her all over again.

He tried not to notice any of the tabloids or even legitimate news stories about her. It was no longer his concern. Apart from being the mother of his child, she had no ties to him.

Except that she was the love of his life.

**Los Angeles, California**

"So what do you think? I mean, honestly, do you think it's a good idea?"

Kurt took an unhurried sip from his glass, smiling absently at the sweet taste of the Pink Moscato. "Honestly?"

"Of course!"

"I think it's the worst idea you've had since you wanted to wear leopard print on the 2013 album cover."

Mercedes dropped her sunglasses to sit lower on the bridge of her nose so she could properly glower at her best friend. "I apologized for that, Kurt Hummel. You can't hold it against me anymore. And besides…" She leaned forward against their small round table, a hand lifting to sweep her hair behind her ear as the wind gently tousled it. "I _have_ to go on tour. Why shouldn't Aria come with me? You know she would love it and there really isn't an alternative other than her staying with her father."

Kurt nodded. "And speaking of her father, I know you realize that Sam would never be okay with you taking Aria on tour. He didn't agree to it last time or the time before that; he won't agree to it now. You'll be out of the country for a month and after that, it's seven states in a week. It's exhausting, it's not kid-friendly, and you'd barely have any quality time together."

"I would _make_ time for her." Mercedes leaned back in her chair with a sigh. "I miss my baby girl, Kurt. He can't say no to this. It's bad enough that she has to divide her time between here and there just so she can have both of us in her life…"

"If you're gonna complain about that, you might as well go back to Sam."

Mercedes glared up at Santana as the tall Latina approached the table and leaned over to peck her cheek in greeting. "Not an option. And where have you been?"

"I've been helping Brittany with a little choreography disaster. One of _your_ dancers needs to be replaced."

"What? Why? Which one?"

Santana waved for the waiter to come by and ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio, turning back to them with a mischievous smirk. "Which one do you think? It's Bianca. By the time of tour she'll be seven months."

"Seven months…? Oh." Mercedes pulled off her sunglasses. "She and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for two years now. I'm happy for them."

"Yeah well, I wish I could share in your happiness but I'm the one who has less than a week to find a replacement who can learn the routines. So. There's that." The waiter set her drink in front of her; she gave a small smile and surveyed their surroundings. "Rooftop dining. Ain't we fancy?" Mercedes responded with a shrug, looking out at the Los Angeles cityscape serenely. Santana narrowed her eyes at Kurt. "What're we talking about?"

He glanced at Mercedes and then smoothed out the material of his vest. "Aria's coming on tour with us this year."

A decidedly unladylike snort escaped from Santana but the amused expression on her face disappeared as she took in Mercedes' frown at her reaction. "Oh, this is serious? You're serious?" She shook her head. "Evans is going to _kill_ you, Wheezy."

"It is _not _that big of a deal!"

"Hell, he might kill you just for asking again. Remember how hard you fought for it the first time you went on tour?" Santana scooted her chair in closer to the table and folded her arms across her chest. "We're still talking about Trouty here. The Trouty that asked you if he could have Aria so she'd have a normal life. You know how long the press and paparazzi have been waiting to get some dirt on the three of you? Take your kid on tour with you and see how many questions they ask her. They'll remember that Mercedes Jones' divorce could be a really great story."

Kurt crinkled up his nose. "Really? You're still holding on to that nickname?"

"Sure. Ol' Guppy Lips should be glad I even gave him one. Shows I care." Santana winked at him, chuckling when he rolled his eyes.

"She called me before I left for the Grammy's last week." They turned to Mercedes; she was lowering her glass from her lips and staring into it sadly. "My baby misses me…I miss her."

"What exactly did you expect when you moved out here to LA and left her behind? Tons and tons of time together?"

"Oh 'Tana. So sympathetic," Kurt muttered under his breath.

"I'm just saying." She searched Mercedes' face and groaned. Her hand stretched out to rest on her friend's arm. "Hey, if you want Aria to come with us…I'll fight with you to convince Evans that she should come. But it's not gonna be easy."

"It _should_ be," Mercedes retorted, her voice suddenly sharp with frustration. "She's my daughter too. It's joint custody. If Aria wants to be with me, she should be able to be with me."

"And I'm really glad you feel that way, sweets. And honestly, I agree with you. But it's not going to be that simple. _Especially_ since we all know that as soon as Evans looks at you with those sad puppy eyes and tells you no you're going to drop the whole thing. Just like last time."

"And the time before that," Kurt quipped.

Mercedes shook her head firmply. "No. Not this time. This time he's going to listen to me. And Aria's going to come on tour with me. And that'll be that. Easy. Simple."

Santana thumped the top of the table lightly with a fist. "No fuss."

"Absolutely no fuss. None."

Kurt looked between the two women for a moment, taking in their fierce expressions. Finally, he crossed his arms with a sigh. "Oh there will be a fuss. Trust me. There's _always_ a fuss."


	10. Do You Remember: Part 2

**Manhattan, New York**

Aria opened one eye groggily as she heard someone banging their fist against the apartment door. She swung her legs down from where they were sprawled out on top of the couch with a groan. "I'll get it." Sitting on the balcony, Sam held up an arm to give her a thumbs up; he didn't take his eyes away from the sketches on the small glass table in front of him.

She stood on her tiptoes to see through the peephole, a large smile spread across her face once she saw who was standing on the other side of the door. "Who is it?"

"Aw, hurry up and open the door, Lil' Mama. I know you see me."

Aria threw herself into Noah Puckerman's arms before she had even opened the door all the way. "Uncle Puck!" Her eyes appraised him intently once she stepped back from the embrace. "Have you gained weight?"

He chuckled and lovingly gave one her curls a tug. "It's the life of a fat cat entrepreneur, runt. And look who's talking. You look like you've grown a foot since I last saw you. Geez, what's Evans feeding you?"

"Lots of take-out."

"Hey!" Sam came in outside, reaching out a hand to shake his oldest friend's. "Thanks for coming, Puckerman."

"No problem, man. You seemed pretty down and out when you called earlier."

Aria looked between the two of them with a confused frown. "…What's going on?"

Puck narrowed his eyes at her father as though asking a silent question that Sam answered with an almost imperceptible shake of his head. He winked down at the girl. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Nothing I _need_ to worry about or nothing you _want_ me to worry about?"

He laughed and extended his foot behind himself to press the apartment door closed again. "Man, you sound just like your mother."

"Thanks!"

"Well _alrighty_ then." Sam placed his hands on her shoulders and steered her over to the couch. "You sit here and watch some TV. We'll be out on the balcony for a little bit."

"Talking about _what_?"

"_Nothing_," he tilted his head to the side and corrected, "Okay. Something." She groaned and rolled her eyes. "But I'm not ready to talk to you about it yet. So…just wait."

Puck followed Sam out onto the balcony, watching him slide the glass door shut as he took a seat at the table. "So what's going on?"

Sam sat across from him and pointed at his phone lying on top of his sketches. "Mercedes called me."

Puck arched a brow. "It's been a long time since she's called you directly like that, hasn't it?"

"It's been a year. Usually she talks to Aria and if she has something she wants me to know, Aria relays the message." Sam passed a hand over his face tiredly. "I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was about what she wanted. She asked the same thing around this time a few years back. Should've known she would try again."

"Try again to do…_Oh_." Puck gave an understanding nod. "It's almost tour time for her isn't it? Mercedes wants to take Aria with her?" He shrugged after his friend nodded. "If you're asking my opinion, you should let it happen."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "I _was_ asking your opinion. _Now_ I'm not. What the hell, man?"

Puck raised his hands up in defense, leaning back in his chair so he could prop his feet up on the table. "It's her kid too!"

"There's a reason why I asked Mercy for Aria. I don't want her to be a part of that life."

"Seems like if you didn't want your kid to be a part of that life you shouldn't have had a kid with a girl who wanted nothing _but_ that life. You knew what you were getting into all those years ago. Mercedes always wanted to be a star. Now you're punishing her because she's made it?" Puck scoffed. "You know I love you, Evans, but that's some bullshit."

"I…"

"You don't try to get in the way of a Mama Bear and her cub. Sometimes I still feel sore from the ass whooping Quinn gave me the day I asked if Beth could come live with me. What, you don't trust Mercedes to take care of Aria while they're on tour?"

Sam sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. Mercy's a great mother. I know she wouldn't let anything happen to Aria. I just worry, you know?"

Puck frowned, leaning forward as a thought came to him. "Why don't you go _with_ her?"

"Go with Aria?"

"Yeah."

"Go with Aria on tour with…Mercy?"

"Yes! Come on, man, if you're so worried about what might happen while she's traveling all over the place, you should travel all over the place with her."

Sam rested his hands on his knees; he sat in silence for a long moment before speaking again. "She wanted to meet with me, have dinner, talk it over…I told her there was no need, that I wasn't changing my mind. She hung up on me."

Puck shrugged. "So call her back, tell her you've changed your mind."

"She's not going to be too thrilled to have me along for the ride."

"So don't tell her that part." Puck grinned. "And be sure to take a picture of her face when she figures it out."

**_Back in the fall we'd be together_**

**_All day long_**

**_Do you remember us holding hands?_**

**_In each other's eyes _**

**_We'd stare _**

_ "What are you over here fiddling with?"_

_ Hastily closing a fist around the diamond engagement ring in his palm, Sam smiled up at his girlfriend as she walked over to the booth he had settled in. The Los Angeles Convention Center was again the location of the official Grammy After-Party and it was packed. He nodded a goodbye to the group that had been sitting with him and stood to wrap his arms around Mercedes' waist after discreetly dropping the ring in his pocket. "Taken all the pictures you're gonna take and seen all the people you wanted to see?"_

_ Her brown eyes were practically sparkling at him. "I just met Adele, Sam. Adele! She said that she listens to my album and…!" Mercedes let out a squeal, squeezing him around the middle. "Adele loves my album!"_

_ "Everyone's gonna be listening to your album and loving it, pretty girl." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Especially after tonight. You've made it."_

_ She sighed happily. "I made it." At the sight of the proud grin on his face, she chuckled. "And let me guess, you're not a bit surprised."_

_ Sam took her hand and they began walking toward the entrance of the Convention Center. "Of course I'm not surprised. I totally called this happening senior year of high school. Should've taken Finn up on the bet that you'd get a Grammy before Rachel got a Tony."_

_ "That's a horrible bet!"_

_ "Maybe. But I still would've won. Not so horrible."_

_ Mercedes rolled her eyes, bobbing her head slightly to the rhythm of the music blasting throughout the large room. "You know, that's not the only thing you 'totally called happening' senior year."_

_ "No?"_

_ "Nope. I seem to remember a couple of proposals coming from you around that time." A photographer called out for a picture of the couple. Sam and Mercedes stopped and obliged the man, beaming brightly._

_ Once they were walking again, Sam shrugged. "I don't recall that at all." She jabbed him in the side with an elbow and he pulled her closer to his side with a laugh. "Okay yeah. What about it?"_

_ "Just wondering if anything's ever gonna come of all those proposals. I've got my Grammy. What comes next?"_

_ Sam smiled down at her so tenderly that photographers nearby immediately took the opportunity to snap pictures. "I'm gonna take you home to celebrate that Grammy."_

_ Mercedes' cheeks warmed as he lowered his head to whisper his plans of celebration into her ear. "Looking forward to that."_

_ "Then let's get going."_

**To be continued...**

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